HCB Chapter 672 A big gamble
Chapter 672 A big gamble
"The Eagle Group?"
Count Yuris repeated the three words, his brows furrowing deeply.
He frantically searched his memory for any recollection of the name, but to no avail.
In his view, this was nothing more than a third-rate mercenary group, though it had a rather impressive name.
The attendant standing beside him, seeing the count's puzzled expression, leaned forward slightly and whispered a reminder that only the two of them could hear:
“Your Excellency, have you forgotten? They were among the teams you arranged to escort King Heldran’s convoy.”
The servant's words instantly illuminated a corner of Count Yuris's memory.
He remembered that, in order to show the Midland Kingdom's respect for the Heldland Kingdom without affecting the army's combat effectiveness, he had assigned several mercenary groups to carry out escort missions, one of which was the "Eagle Group".
At the time, he just randomly picked a few and didn't take this team seriously at all.
"So it was them."
Count Yuris's tone carried a hint of contempt.
"They're just a bunch of lucky civilian mercenaries."
In his view, the army is the cornerstone of the country, and meritorious service should naturally be rewarded, but some merits have strict limits.
Battles like the Siege of Rona Territory were crucial in determining the military balance between Midland and the Yoda Empire, and their significance and far-reaching impact were immense.
Such merit should rightfully belong to his elite troops, the White Dragon Knights, and to a nobleman like himself.
How could a mob of ordinary people possibly succeed?
Count Yuris could not imagine it, nor dared to imagine it.
If such a force were to make the greatest contribution in such an important battle, how would the noble class of the Kingdom of Midland save face, and how would their nobility be demonstrated?
Since the founding of the Kingdom of Heldran, Count Yuris had often heard the newly promoted Heldran nobles in Wendam discuss the nobles of Midland in various social occasions.
They said that the nobles of Midland were all show and no substance, with great reputations but no achievements on the battlefield. They only knew how to enjoy the glory of their ancestors but could not create their own achievements.
Count Joris kept these rumors in his heart and regarded them as a great disgrace.
He had been waiting for an opportunity, a chance to prove to the entire continent that the nobles of Midland still possessed formidable strength and exceptional abilities. The siege of Rona City was the stage he had been waiting for.
He wanted everyone to see that the nobles of Midland were still the most outstanding nobles on the continent, and that their abilities and lineage were beyond the reach of commoners and mercenaries.
"absurd!"
Count Yuris slammed his hand on the table, stood up, and looked sharply at General Laban.
"General Laban, you actually want to send a group of mercenaries on such an important mission? You're playing with the outcome of the entire campaign! I will not allow this to happen!"
His voice was filled with unquestionable authority, and the air in the entire command tent seemed to freeze.
However, General Laban was not intimidated by his imposing manner.
He remained calm, meeting Count Yuris's gaze and insisting on his opinion.
“Your Excellency, I do not believe this is a joke.”
General Laban’s voice was steady and powerful.
"Although the Eagle Band is a mercenary group, their combat strength should not be underestimated. My recommendation of them is not without reason."
"I think we should send them to test the strength of the garrison first. If they succeed, all will be well; even if they fail, the losses to our main force will be negligible. It's a sure-fire deal, Your Excellency."
"Insignificant?"
Count Yuris sneered.
"General Laban, you are too naive. Do you think that sending a group of civilians to carry out such a mission, even if they fail, will not affect the morale of our army? It will make the soldiers feel that our Midland army is out of options and needs to rely on a bunch of mercenaries to solve problems!"
"My Lord Count."
General Laban's tone also became somewhat harsher.
"We're not discussing morale now, we're discussing how to take Rona! A frontal assault will only result in greater losses! Instead of sending our soldiers to their deaths in vain, why not try another approach?"
"enough!"
Count Euryss interrupted him sharply.
"My decision will not change! The White Dragon Knights will still be the main force in the siege! As for the Eagle Legion you mentioned, let them stay in the rear and do their jobs!"
He waved his hand and made the final decision.
However, General Laban showed no intention of backing down; he remained standing, his gaze fixed firmly on Count Yuris.
"My Lord Count."
General Laban said, word by word.
"If this continues, the army at Yoda's main camp in the eastern part of Rona territory will arrive soon."
"If you insist on having the White Dragon Knights launch a frontal assault, then please allow me, in my personal name and with my honor, to request that you give the Band of the Hawk a chance."
"Consider it a small test. If they succeed, I will take no credit; it will all belong to the Earl. If they fail, I will take full responsibility."
The other generals in the command tent gasped when they heard General Laban say this. Apart from his official position, General Laban was just a court count without any fiefdom, while Yuris had come on behalf of the king. How dare he challenge Yuris? Did he not want his future career?
Count Yuris was also stunned by General Laban's persistence and determination.
He stared intently into General Laban's eyes, trying to detect any wavering or fear, but all he saw was unwavering resolve.
The atmosphere inside the tent suddenly became tense and confrontational.
Count Yuris was engaged in a fierce internal struggle.
He didn't want to compromise; he didn't want a mere general to challenge his authority.
However, General Laban's words were like a thorn in his heart.
What if the Band of the Hawk actually succeeds? What if the White Dragon Knights launch another attack and fail again?
He couldn't imagine the consequences.
Time seemed to stand still at this moment.
After a long while, Count Yuris finally spoke slowly.
His voice was a little hoarse, but it carried a hint of weariness.
"it is good."
He looked at General Laban and spoke slowly.
"I'm giving you this face. But let me make this clear: if they fail, you must take full responsibility, and from now on, the siege plan must be executed exactly as I say!"
A relieved smile finally appeared on General Laban's face.
“I agree, Your Excellency.”
"very good."
Count Yuris nodded.
"Then let them try. But I must determine the details of the operation, and they must obey orders completely!"
"It's natural."
General Laban answered.
"I will personally communicate with them."
"Go."
Count Yuris waved his hand and sat back down in his chair, looking somewhat weary.
"I hope you haven't misjudged him this time."
General Laban said nothing more. He bowed to Count Yuris, then turned and walked out of the command tent.
……
Meanwhile, in a secluded outpost not far from Midland's main camp, the atmosphere was equally tense within the Band of the Hawk's tent.
General Laban's adjutant had just relayed the mission of a night raid on Rona City to Griffith, the leader of the Band of the Hawk.
When the news spread, the entire camp was in an uproar.
"A night raid on Rona City? Are you kidding me! Are you sending us to our deaths?!"
Gorkas was the first to jump up, his slightly mature face filled with anger and disbelief.
"We've seen how tenacious the defenders of Rona are! They suffered heavy losses even with a frontal assault. Sending us a small force on a night raid would be suicide."
Even Gus, standing to the side, echoed his sentiment, his face full of worry.
The other captains in the camp also expressed the same view.
In their view, this mission was simply impossible; it wasn't just dangerous, it was a pure suicide attack.
All eyes were on the captain, Griffith.
He is the soul of the Band of the Hawk, their backbone, and his decisions will determine the fate of the entire team.
Griffith sat in the main seat and did not utter a single word from beginning to end.
His face was expressionless; no one knew what he was thinking.
After everyone had finished speaking and the tent fell silent again, Griffiths slowly began to speak.
"Everyone."
His voice was calm and clear.
"I know this mission is very dangerous, you could even say it's a matter of life and death."
He stood up and his gaze swept over everyone present.
"But have you ever wondered why the higher-ups in Midland would suddenly send one of our mercenary groups on such an important mission?"
The group looked at each other, wondering why he would ask such a question.
"because."
A faint smile appeared on Griffith's lips.
"They failed. Count Yuris's White Dragon Knights failed. They launched a frontal assault, suffered heavy losses, and gained nothing. Now they have no other choice but to turn to us."
He walked to the center of the tent and spread out a map of the city of Rhône.
"Look, after the previous bombardment, several breaches have appeared in the city walls of Rona. These breaches are the defenders' weaknesses, and also our opportunity."
"Commander, you mean..."
Gorkas looked at him with some confusion.
"I mean."
Griffiths's finger traced several gaps in the map.
“A night raid is not entirely without a chance of success. A breach in the city wall means a weakness in the defense. Our goal is not to engage the defenders in a direct confrontation, but to use the cover of night to infiltrate the city and seize the city gates. Once the gates are open, Midland’s army can advance unimpeded.”
"But the garrison inside the city..."
Hearing Griffiths say this, Jedo knew he had made up his mind, but he was still a little worried.
"The attention of the garrison inside the city will surely be drawn to the commotion on the city walls."
Griffith's eyes gleamed with confidence.
"And don't forget, what is the Band of the Hawk best at?"
It is to deliver a fatal blow from a place the enemy does not expect.
Griffiths looked at them and continued:
"This is an opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our Eagle Band. If we succeed, we will no longer be an unknown mercenary group. We will become famous throughout the world, and our names will be recorded in history!"
“I know this road is dangerous, and people may sacrifice themselves. But if we don’t do it, if we hide here like cowards, then we will always just be a group of civilians, a group of mercenaries who are looked down upon!”
He paused for a moment, looking intently at his teammates.
"So, my decision is..."
Griffith said, word by word.
"We'll take this mission! We're going to give it a try!"
Inside the tent, all was silent. Everyone was moved by Griffith's words, and their blood began to boil.
Guss sighed, then stated:
"It's just about slaughtering your way through the enemy lines. It's not like we haven't done it before. No matter how many come, I'll kill them all."
Gorkas clenched his fist and echoed his sentiments:
"Commander, I'll fight you! It's just a night raid, right? I'm risking my life on this!"
"Count me in!"
"And I!"
"The Band of the Hawk, never back down!"
The other team leaders also stood up and loudly expressed their support.
Griffiths looked at his teammates with a satisfied smile on his face.
He knew that his choice was right. Every member of the Band of the Hawk was his brother, a comrade-in-arms he could entrust his back to.
"it is good!"
he shouted.
"Then, let's formulate a detailed action plan! This time, we'll show those high and mighty nobles whether the Eagle Band truly has the capability!"
He bent down, tapped the map again, and began discussing specific tactical details with his teammates.
Inside the tent, the atmosphere had shifted from tension and worry to enthusiasm and high morale.
Griffith had a feeling, deep down.
He felt that he and the Band of the Hawk had always been lucky.
This time, Lady Luck will once again be on their side.